1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to queuing, and in particular, to apparatus and processes for queuing access to network resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many online processes involve large numbers of users attempting to access networked systems and resources with limited capacity. For example, with respect to online auctions, there may be a limited number of items, such as tickets, being auctioned, and a large number of users that want to bid for such items at about the same time or within a short period of time. In many conventional systems, when such a situation occurs, the system may not be able to process all user requests, and so many users may be provided with an error message informing them that system access is not currently available and instructing users to attempt to access the system at a later time. This can cause user frustration and discourage many users from further attempting to access the system.
In addition, with some conventional systems, when large numbers of users attempt to access the system at about the same time, the system may disadvantageously fail to provide orderly or fair access to the system resources.